17 | Hunting Contest; Survival Mode, On!

The Hunting Contest was explained furthermore by Sarah, The Princess of Chetan Kingdom. Groups will enter a so-called dimension and they will explore each of the places and defeat the monsters lurking in the dimension to finish the game. But to win, you must reach the "highest mountain" of the Dimension and defeat the monster guarding the orb.

A group who got the orb first will be immediately transported back to the world and win.

"Hmm... So, we should defeat the monsters to reach the highest mountain and get the orb to win." Elyse said unconsciously while her gaze stuck on Princess Sarah, she continues to give the instructions and guides for the players.

"What do you think, Elyse?" Ray said all of the sudden, staring at her. Elyse turns to look at her and she scratches the back of her head.

"I-I don't know what to do..." She said, feeling a little ashamed. Well, she just heard about the hunting contest in the past because of the rumors spreading in her town. Not like she lives in the Capital or something.

Elyse only heard the stories of the Almighty old Master of the Empire through history books and rumors. But she never had the chance to meet the old Master since the Master would deliberately avoid the reporters and crowded places.

They say the old Master doesn't like crowded places. She was the Master, who founded and guide the four leaders of the Empire but for some reason, she doesn't like the spotlight everyone gave her. She doesn't like the praise she was given but she would accept the criticism and hate comments from the other citizens.

Back at the topic at hand, Ray only smiled at Elyse.

"This hunting contest has been going on for centuries. Truthfully, the original survival mode of the contest was much more brutal." Ray stated.

"Why?" Elyse asked, feeling curious.

"It wasn't in the history books so it's understandable. The original hunting Contest of survival mode was brutal. The targeted prey were humans who were a criminal. The Alphas would have no other choice but to kill them. Although they are criminals worthy of death, it still doesn't sit right to kill them." Ray explained.

"Well, you're wrong," Elyse said, staring at his eyes.

"Your explanation doesn't feel right. Yes, they are inmates who deserve death. But how can you be so sure that they too do not also have the right to die?"

"What do you mean?"

"I am saying they won't make the criminals be prey if they don't do anything unworthy of death. If they have done such sins, they deserve to face death. Although it indeed looks cruel, that is the cycle of life."

"When you do a mistake, they will point it out on you. Blame you for anything. But if you do something good, they treat it like a mistake. Everything they see in you is a mistake."

Both fell silent while Elyse's gaze fixed on the crowded audience below.

Ray was left speechless by Elyse's statement. He couldn't be any more than happier to hear it from her.

Ray was only just testing her, and the result was what he was expected.

"Then, if I say they didn't do anything wrong that was worthy of death. Let's just say, the criminal went to prison because he robbed a store. The reason the criminal said it was because he was hungry yet the officials turned a blind eye and make him live in the prison for most of his life." Ray said making Elyse stare once more at him.

Ray leaned on the railings and his hair swayed in the wind, gazing far away from her and the audience.

"What if that criminal, was innocent? Unfortunately, he was chosen to be prey to be targeted for the hunting contest." Ray then turned to look at Elyse.

"What will you do to this injustice mistake, Miss Elyse?" He leans in closer making Elyse unfazed. Although she was unfazed, her heart wasn't calm. Ray could be right. Since there are also chances that the criminal is innocent.

"What if that innocent was killed by one of the Alphas? What will you do?" He asked once more.

Elyse looked down, clenching her fist.

"Neither is the answer." Ray froze.

"You are right. We don't know if the criminal is innocent or not. We also don't know if he is indeed innocent or not. Who knows? Since the past was too cruel to be called human." Elyse answered.

"But my answer earlier won't change." She said with her determined eyes looking straight at Ray.

"Every time we do something right, everyone will ridicule you. But if we do something wrong, everyone will also ridicule us. The world is cruel and unfair. But if that would be the case, then I will make the world a better place." She spoke.

Ray stared at her stunned from his spot. He couldn't say any more to her, amused by her answers. Ray was reminded of the woman he would always dream about every night.

A woman who would always occupy both his heart and mind even if he wasn't asleep. Just looking at Elyse, looking at her determined eyes makes his heart race a beat and reminded him of the woman from his dreams.

It was something unexpected. Something that was out of his prediction.

"Hey, you two! Let's go!" Chad called them from afar and Elyse nodded her head, following Chad and the others. While Rael froze from his spot, he didn't move an inch from his spot.

"Hey, did you do something to Mr. President?" Chad asked Elyse and she shrugged. "Beats me, he suddenly asks such strange words and then explains it to me. I only answered his questions and there you go; frozen Mr. President is there." She said which made Luna chuckle.

"I see. I'm sorry for laughing, Elyse. But you have listened to the explanation earlier, right?" Luna said which made Elyse flinch. She didn't listen, both Rael and Elyse weren't listening because they were too busy with their dramatic answers and questions.

"Oh... Haha, that uhm —" Chad suddenly pats her back.

"It's okay! We're just going to explain it to you!" Chad said with his playful tone and Elyse laughed in awkwardness.

'He feels like we're both close friends...' Elyse said to herself.

***

"Groups, ready?" Princess Sarah said and everyone nodded their heads, ready to enter a strange portal in front of them. Princess Sarah then opens the portal using a casting spell.

Her shiny silver hair and blue-gray eyes shone brightly as the bright light illuminated everyone. Elyse closes her eyes to cover the bright light. She felt as if she was floating in mid-air. Soon, she felt cold on her feet. Curious, she opens her eyes to find that she's inside a strange dimension.

A dimension covered with snow and blizzards.

"Man, the weather here is weird," Arrow commented, walking towards the blizzard.

"Where are we?" Elyse couldn't help but ask.

"In a dimension where we normal people shouldn't enter," Luna answered.

Elyse turns her head to look at her.

"What do you mean?" Luna smiled.

"Centuries ago, After the disaster happened, the old Master of Empire eradicated multiple demons in this world, including the Lord Demon who's controlling them." Luna explains.

Suddenly, Elyse remembered a part where in History she heard about a world that went into chaos after The Alphas who were responsible for the balance and peace of the world went into turmoil when 'she' killed them all.

Suddenly, the puzzle she's been collecting is now connecting. The Alpha's fate is Lucia's disappearance after she killed the Alphas. She flinched.

'No, there's still a missing piece. I should not come up with a conclusion quickly.'

"... In other words, this world is known to be the old Olympia. The world where our Ancestors lived. Even if the demons have been eradicated, there are still some monsters left that could transform into demons and if possible, awaken the sleeping Lord Demon who went up against the old Master." Luna continues her explanation which makes Elyse go back to the present and walk beside Luna, following everyone.

"Elyse, wait!" Arbor called out her name from afar. Both Luna and Elyse stop their tracks and looked at Arbor. When he finally approached Elyse, he handed her something in her hand and suddenly leaned unto her.

Elyse blushed to see how close their faces are.

"Call me if you need help," He whispered and pats her head, and quickly walks away.

While Elyse was stunned, frozen to her spot. Curious, she opens her hands to see a whistle.

"Oh, it's a whistle that is treasured by The Artemis the most," Luna said.

"Wait, huh?" Elyse asked, having a bad feeling from this.

"You didn't know? This is the most treasured for Artemis's Descendant. Since there was a story between Lucia and Artemis in the war. Lucia being weak and haven't awoken her powers yet almost died but when she broke the whistle Artemis got the signal and instantly help Lucia from being killed by her step farther." Luna said, almost telling her a story while they walk each other.

"What?! This is so important! Why did Arbor give me this?" Elyse raised her voice. Chad caught his attention from Elyse's voice and turned to look at her with his calm composure.

Strangely enough, he was smitten by Elyse's beauty. His jaw clenches.

'Fvck this ancestry thing, should I have feelings for this young lady? It's not my fault that you, my Ancestor had such an unrequited love! Why must you bring me down too!' Chad said, irritated by the feelings he's been having since the second he just met her.

While Ray only leads the way, looking for a place to stay for days to hunt for the orb everyone was looking for. The dimension is filled with a cold and lonely land. The snow blizzard makes them move hard because of the cold but thanks to having Elyse with her magic coat, everything is easy.

On the other hand, the other groups are having a bad time. Making it harder for them to walk in the middle of the blizzard snow.

"Frick, I just wish Elyse was here," Eli said, almost crying because of the cold.

"Y-yeah. M-me too." Arrow said with her trembling body, shivering from the cold.

After hours of walking, Ray finally found a perfect place for their hideout.

"Guys! Follow me!" Ray shouted and everyone followed him closely. They're now out of the blizzard zone. The snow is still thick and cold, but it is much better now than the cold earlier.

"Chad, can you help me chop some wood?" Chad nodded his head while Elyse simply went ahead to look for small branches and makes a little fire to keep them warm.

"I'm so glad Elyse is here with us," Luna said and Elyse giggled.

"I'm sure the other teams have magicians for them too." She spoke.

"Yes, but your magic is much better than them. Goodness, if you're a genius at magic, why are you in the Archery Club?" Luna said with her grumpy voice.

"The Headmistress seems to hate me," Elyse answered.

"Well of course she would hate you. The Headmistress had long feelings for Lucas but he's been ignoring the old lady. Heh, who would like an old lady anyway?" Elyse was stunned by her answer but she laughed it off anyway.

"I mean if it's true love. It's fine." Elyse said.

"Well yeah, if that's true love. But that old lady just wants Leader Lucas's title, not his love." Luna shrugged.

"Hey, I wonder if you can also change the color of your eye." Luna changes the topic.

"The color of my eye?" Luna nodded.

"Yup! I mean. I am her Descendant but I can't change the color of my eye based on my emotions. It's her main trait that I haven't inherited. It's also strange that I didn't inherit any memories of her after the disaster except how she enters the Olympia and such."

"I don't quite... Understand." Elyse admitted.

"Ah! Pfft. Don't mind it anymore." Luna scoffed with her laugh.

"We're back! Elyse, can you help me with your magic here?" Chad said while bringing the wood in his one arm. Luna's eyebrow arched while Elyse, unfazed nodded her head.

"Sure." Elyse starts to help with the man's work until they finally had a little tree house.

After hours of making their house, Luna arrived from her hunt.

"Hey! I killed some edible monsters out there; we can eat them!" Luna said with her eyes sparkling.

"W-we can eat monsters?" Elyse said, feeling sick to hear a monster being edible.

"Of course! Monsters around here are poisonous but don't worry, I know how to hunt!" She reassures Elyse but that wasn't enough for her to feel relieved. Luna starts cooking with Ray and when the food is ready, Elyse starts praying for the above to bless her soul if she ever dies.

She takes a sip from the soup and was startled by the amazing taste of the food.

"How is it, delicious right?" Luna asked and Elyse nodded her head continuously with her sparkling eyes.

After they eat the food, everyone starts to climb up to the tree house and Elyse puts up an invisible spell to make their house invisible to other hunters.

Ray puts the map on the table and starts discussing the moves.

"We've been participating in this hunting contest since freshmen except for Elyse. So, I'll explain the monsters of the mountain." Ray started.

"Elyse, what is hunting to you?" Ray asked.

"Hunting... animals?"

"Pfft-" Chad scoffed and everyone stared at him.

"W-what..." Chad cleared his throat.

"Yes. That is hunting. But since this is a contest, Elyse. We will be hunting monster demons that came from the war centuries ago. These very said demons can mutate and spread as they like. In other words, these very said demons also know." Ray explains.

"These monsters can copy our language and understands us. Since the monsters are protecting the orb of the Lord Demon." Ray continued.

"So, does that mean these monsters can decide their moves too?" Ray nodded his head.

"Correct. That's why, to get the orb, we are looking for. We need to find a move on how to get it. Elyse, do you have any idea?" Ray asked.

For Elyse, she doesn't have any knowledge of the battlefield. But strangely enough, she felt excited. A smirk is carved on her face and nods her head to Ray.

"Yes, I have," Elyse answers with her calming voice.